Pro-Russian Protestors Are Reportedly Holding Hostages In An Eastern Ukraine Building

Armed men, believed to be pro-Russian protesters, wear masks inside the offices of the state security service in Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine April 7, 2014.
Reuters/Stringer
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's state security service on Tuesday said that pro-Russian separatists have placed explosives in a building they seized in the eastern city of Luhansk and are using weapons to hold around 60 people against their will.

Pro-Russian separatists occupied the SBU building on Sunday evening in one of a series of attacks in the east of the country. At least nine people were injured when the separatists broke doors and windows throughout the building and raised the Russian flag.

"The anti-terror group of the security services of Ukraine (SBU) .. has established that the criminals have rigged the building with explosives ... and are holding around 60 people, threatening them with weapons and explosives," the SBU said in a statement.

"These actions are extremely dangerous and endanger the lives of people both inside and outside of the building," the statement said. "They are using terrorist measures."